


Words we do not need to communicate that which matters

by clokkerfoot (orphan_account)



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Angst, Boyfriends before they know it, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Gavin is a mute kid and he falls in love with Michael, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, M/M, Matchmaker Ray, Mute Gavin, Muteness, Oblivious Michael, Past Character Death, Swearing, i dont know how to tag this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-18
Updated: 2013-11-18
Packaged: 2018-01-01 23:56:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1050102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/clokkerfoot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Gavin Free hasn’t always been a mute British boy in an Austin high school who writes down his thoughts and feelings on a pad of paper. But he is now, and Michael Jones somehow managed to get into the mother of all friendships with him, and might be a little bit in love with him too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Too early for this shit

**Author's Note:**

> ***NOTE***  
> THE FINAL BOLDED 'SPEECH' IN EVERY CHAPTER DOESN'T REGISTER AS BOLD ON THIS SITE, SO I APOLOGISE FOR THAT. ASSUME THE FINAL ITALICS - IN CONTEXT - IS GAVIN'S WRITING.
> 
> Thank you <3

Michael was already having a shit day, and it wasn't even nine o'clock yet.  
  
He'd woken up late, smacked into awakening by the screaming voice of his mother and the high pitched wailing of his baby sister, Annie. Hurrying through breakfast, he barely made it into school as the bell rang, and he realised with a groaned _Fuck!_ that he'd forgotten his chemistry homework that he'd worked so hard on.   
  
And now, as he scrambled towards his locker to collect his books for the day, he found it blocked by some tall blond kid in a green jacket fiddling with the door on the locker next to his. Monday was not the day that he was going to be fucked around by some moronic freshman.   
  
"Hey! Moron!" he called, tapping the kid on the shoulder maybe a little harder than was necessary. He was too pissed off and tired to really give a shit.  
  
The kid turned around, eyes startled. He looked absolutely goofy, with a pale face and a huge nose that could stab through a piece of wood if he tried hard enough. And he was just staring at him.  
  
"Hey, asshole, d'you mind moving?"  
  
The kid still didn't respond, staring at him blankly.  
  
"What's wrong, cat got your tongue?"  
  
He seemed to laugh, eyes crinkling and mouth turning upwards, but not a single goddamn sound came out. Maybe he was retarded, "Dude? You're meant to, y'know, speak and stuff."  
  
The kid held up a pad of paper and a pen, and scribbled something furiously on it. Okay, he was really creeping Michael out now. Peering at the paper presented to him, Michael saw some slanted words jotted onto it.  
  
 ** _I can't speak._    
**  
"Hah, okay. Great," Michael laughed awkwardly, "Is this a jinx thing then? Do I need to say your full name, or something? What's your name?"  
 **  
 _Gavin David Free._**    
  
"Gavin David Free, I free you from your jinx," the kid - Gavin - still stared at him, but his face was sad now. Horrifically so.  
  
"Shit, man, the jinx is broken if someone says your full name."  
  
 ** _I can't speak._**  
  
"I gathered that, you fucking idiot, that's why I said your full name."  
  
 ** _No._**  
  
"No? No what?"  
  
 ** _I can't SPEAK._**  
  
"You are making no goddamn sense."  
  
 ** _I'm mute._**  
  
"Oh," Michael took a step back, inwardly cursing himself for being such an asshole. Of course he'd piss off the mute kid, "I'm sorry, I didn't know."  
  
Gavin did the weird laughing-but-not-laughing thing again, ending with a violent cough, and Michael felt a glimmer of guilt at how much of a dick he'd been to this little kid. He was _mute_ , for god's sake.   
  
"How can you hear me, then?"  
 ** _  
I can hear just fine, you sausage. I just can't talk._**  
  
"Sausage? The fuck?"  
  
 ** _I'm from England.  
_**  
"That explains the, uh, words. But how, how did you even get like this?" Michael was vaguely aware that the bell to start first period had begun to ring down the corridor, but he was fascinated by the silent British boy with the blond hair.   
  
 ** _I was in a fire when I was a kid._**  
  
Okay, now Michael was really confused, "How the fuck does that make you mute? And why are you telling me this stuff?"  
  
 ** _I apparently breathed in some smoke and it bashed up my vocal chords. And I'm telling you because you asked, you mong._**    
  
"Hey, hey, shut the fuck up! What even is a mong?"  
  
 ** _You._**  
  
" _Hey_!"  
  
"Boys!" a sharp voice came from down the corridor, accompanied by the clicking of heels. _Shit, shit, shit_ , "Why aren't you in your first lesson?"  
  
Gavin began scribbling furiously on his paper, and Michael covered his ass while he did so, "I was late, Miss, so I came to get my books, and I think, uh, Gavin here was a little bit lost, so I said I'd take him to first period."  
  
"Ah, Gavin. Our new boy!"  
  
"Miss?"  
  
"Gavin is in your class, Michael. He's your new student," huh. Not a freshman, then.  
  
Gavin nodded encouragingly, holding up the pad of paper where a formal looking note was written. The teacher waved it away with a small smile, "It's quite alright, Gavin. Just head along with Michael to your first lesson."  
  
Another vigorous nod from Gavin, and he headed down the corridor away from Michael. He noted with a barely contained snort that he was going in completely the wrong way. Kicking his heel, he began to chase after the Brit, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.   
  
The teacher was staring down at him with sincere eyes, and she said quietly, "Michael, Gavin is going to be very vulnerable these first few weeks. Do I have your word that you'll keep an eye on him? You're possibly the first friend he's had."  
  
"He's not my fr-"  
  
" _Michael_."  
  
"Fine," the woman nodded at him, and he resumed chasing after Gavin, who had stopped at the end of the corridor and was watching him with curious eyes.  
  
What was that all about?  
  
"Just dumb teacher stuff, ’Don't be late again' and all that crap. C'mon, let's go to math."  
  
Gavin didn't write a reply, but the grin on his face was a very affirmed yes, so Michael gripped his wrist tightly and pulled him back down the corridor in the right direction, toward the math department.   
  
He had a sinking feeling that he was going to be friends with this mute boy.   
  
~*~*~*~  
  
That sinking feeling turned out to be the Titanic of friendships. Michael's pre-existing friends, namely Ray and Geoff, always moaned at Michael because he talked so much - he knew how much he spoke, but he couldn't help it - but Gavin never, er, _wrote_ a word against his constant speaking. Ever. He felt totally at ease around his newfound friend, never worrying if he was jabbering on about something too much.   
  
It kinda freaked him out, considering he'd never heard Gavin's voice, never heard him laugh, and he'd only known him for a few weeks. Their math teacher, an old asshole called Mr. Hussarian - no, seriously - noticed their simultaneous lateness and spread word around the teachers about the two of them. Nothing dodgy, just that Michael had 'finally found a normal friend', if his Italian teacher was to be believed.   
  
So, within a week, Michael found himself seated next to the silent boy in every lesson he attended. He didn't complain, really. Gavin was perfectly nice, but he was _really fucking quiet_. He expected that, but he didn't even laugh.   
  
 ** _Michael?_**  
  
A small piece of paper had been slid across the bio desk towards him, knocking him out of his thoughts, Gavin's familiar scrawly writing stark black on the crumpled piece of paper.  
  
"What?" he whispered, cautious of the teacher staring curiously at the rustle of the paper from the head of the classroom. The class was undergoing a surprise pop quiz on fucking enzymes.   
  
 ** _Are you okay?_**  
  
"You really wanted to ask me that? Now?"  
  
 ** _Sorry.  
_**  
"No, it's fine. So am I."  
  
"Jones!" the sharp voice of his teacher called from the front of the classroom, the squeak of a chair alerting him that his teacher had arisen. Shit.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Are you and Free talk- er, communicating?" asshole.  
  
"No, sir. Gavin just, ah, wanted me to ask you if he could go to the bathroom," he delivered a sharp kick to Gavin's shin under the table, and the replying soft nudge to his knee told him that Gavin understood.  
  
The bio teacher nodded understandingly, handing Gavin the bathroom pass. As his friend exited the room, he threw a look over his shoulder that Michael took to understand as a _Thank you_. Michael just grinned and went back to his test.   
  
Two minutes and fourteen seconds later, Gavin returned and sat back down on his chair, placing his hand on Michael's knee as another silent _Thank you_. Michael didn't know what for; he'd only covered his friend's ass, as anyone would do.  
  
 **** _Thank you._  
  
"So you've said," Michael murmured quietly in response, noticing with a warmth in his chest when Gavin's hand squeezed his knee lightly. He batted the offending hand away with a low chuckle.   
  
Gavin beamed.


	2. Team nice dynamite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Michael gets Gavin a very special Christmas present. Gavin meets Ray and Geoff.

"Hey Gavin?"  
  
 ** _Yes?_**  
  
"Do you play videogames?"  
  
Gavin's excited silent leap of joy was as good an answer as any, "I'll take that as a yes, then?"  
  
He nodded, almost furiously, and began to scribble down words on the paper. Michael watched with interest, and saw a list of games slowly appear. When it was slid over to him, he saw a long list of Xbox games.  
  
"GTA, Halo, Bioshock, Assassins Creed. I like your gaming style."  
  
 ** _What do you play?_**  
  
"Pretty much the same as you. Wanna come over to mine tonight and play some games?"  
  
Gavin grinned widely as an answer.   
  
The day passed swiftly, the clock hands turning faster and faster every time he glanced at it. A short few seconds after the bell rang to end the day, Gavin was yanking Michael through the front doors of the school, towards the edge of the sidewalk. He stopped and realisation dawned over his face.  
  
 ** _Where do you live?_**  
  
"Bus 4, you moron."  
  
 **** _Me too!_  
  
Bumpy roads and Gavin aside, the bus ride was normal. He was surprised that he hadn't seen Gavin boarding the bus before, but he shrugged it off as him not paying attention.   
  
"So, how's Austin suiting you?"  
  
Gavin shrugged, then scribbled on his paper.  
  
 ** _It's alright. I'm well chuffed that I met you, though!_**  
  
"You're a dork."  
  
They clambered off at Michael's stop, and went over to his house.  
  
Gavin paused at the front door, scribbling down a message. Michael peered at the paper as he wrote.   
  
 **** _Hello, Mrs Jones. My name's Gavin and I'm best friends with your son. We're gonna play some videogames, if that's okay with you?_  
  
"You're a fuckin' dork," he rolled his eyes as he pushed open the door.  
  
"Michael! Do you have any id- oh, hello. Who's this?" Michael just sighed as his mother stormed towards the door with Annie in the crook of her arm. He hadn't gotten his perpetual anger from his father, to say the least.   
  
Gavin held out the paper as a response, and Michael watched his mother's eyes soften around the edges as she read it, "Hello, Gavin, sweetie. Why didn't you just say all that?"  
  
"He's mute, mom."  
  
"Oh. _Oh_! I'm terribly sorry."  
  
Gavin shook his head and smiled, "He says it's fine."  
  
"Okay. Well, dinner is in an hour. Are you staying?" Gavin nodded, "I'll knock up an extra plate then.  
  
As Michael dragged his friend upstairs to his room, asking "You're staying for dinner?" and getting a shrug in response, he couldn't help but think about how naturally Gavin communicated his feelings towards Michael.   
  
He turned his Xbox on, throwing a few green cases at Gavin over his shoulder, stopping when the Brit tapped his shoulder and held up GTA IV.  
  
"GTA? You like the classics, don't you?"  
  
 ** _It's not really a classic, you dope._**  
  
"Shut up, it is now GTA V is out," Gavin rolled his eyes, and set up a co-op mission.   
  
He was, predictably, absolutely awful at the game, crashing a helicopter into Michael's slogan-emblazed car with a quiver of silent laughter than sent Michael into a simultaneous rage of anger at his stupid fucking friend and laughter at his stupid fucking friend.  
  
Gavin ended up staying for supper, too.   
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"So, when do we get to meet the new boyfriend?" Ray asked casually one day, as Michael sat bored in the one lesson he didn't have with his mute friend. He was jolted out of his thoughts.  
  
"Boyfriend?"  
  
"This Gavin kid you keep going on about."  
  
Michael spluttered indignantly. _Boyfriend?! What the hell?_ "He's not my boyfriend, Ray. He's just my friend."  
  
"Yeah, and Joel's just my study partner," Ray replied snarkily, jerking his thumb towards the mentioned boy, who looked up from his project and grinned at them. Michael just shrugged his shoulders, resuming the sketch of an Xbox controller he was doing.  
  
"In all seriousness, Michael," Geoff commented, leaning into their little conversation, "Who the _fuck_ is he? We haven't even met him. We just know that he's a mute or some shit, and then he was somehow at your house playing videogames a few days ago."  
  
"He's... different."  
  
"And you're scared we're gonna fuck around with him?" Geoff drew out Michael's fears immediately, shaking his head, "We're not gonna be dicks to him if he's your friend, you moron."  
  
"Still..."  
  
"Oh, for pete's sake, Michael. We've been friends since kindergarten. I'm not gonna get all pissy with you for having a new friend, even if he can't speak a word."  
  
Michael looked between the eager faces of his two oldest friends and sighed dejectedly, "Okay, come with me after art and you can meet him," he was still fucking terrified that Gavin would be abused for how he was, even if he trusted the two grinning boys before him more than anyone in the world.   
  
Art came and went in what felt like seconds, and the bell for lunch break rang. Michael exited swiftly out of the classroom, trying to ignore the mumbled conversation that his two shadows were having, and headed towards the place he and Gavin met to eat their packed lunches every day.   
  
"Gav?" Michael called when he saw Gavin sat with his back to the tree they met under, holding out a warning hand to Ray and Geoff.  
  
Gavin looked at him with wild eyes, silently conveying _What's going on?_ and Michael replied, "It's okay, these are my friends. They want to meet you," Gavin nodded slowly, and held out his hand.  
  
Ray paced forward first, shaking Gavin's hand firmly, "My name's Ray, or BrownMan if you're playing any videogame ever. Or Tuxedo Mask. Or X-Ray. Or any name, really. You're Gavin Free, right?"  
  
Gavin just nodded, eyes sliding over Michael for a second and back to Ray when Michael smiled assuredly at the Brit. He looked more nervous than Michael had ever seen him be, and he didn't know whether it was because he was afraid of meeting new people or whether it was because he was meeting _Michael's_ friends.   
  
"You really don't talk much, huh?"  
  
"Ray," Michael reprimanded his friend. That was a fucking shitty thing to say to Gavin, "Gav, I did tell them. They're just assholes."  
  
Gavin laughed silently, face creasing, and Ray stepped back as he did so to let Geoff come forward. The two of them shook hands too, "M'name's Geoff, but you can call me Grif if you want. Michael told me you liked to play GTA?" Gavin nodded, "Sweet! We should play some co-op missions someday."  
  
Thank _fuck_ , Geoff was being kind.  
  
"Ok, um, Gav?" the Brit turned to Michael with eager eyes, the corners of his mouth turned upwards. He really did like Ray and Geoff, then, "Mind if they sit with us? Only, these two like to go off and shag each other so you might not see them for awhile if you let them leave."  
  
Gavin nearly fell over as he laughed, still as silent as ever, but the joyous quaking of his body sent Michael, Ray and Geoff into raucous laughter too, the sound of it filling the clearing.   
  
They sat and ate lunch, and Gavin barely had to write a word down.   
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Gavin had no other way of catching Michael's attention than throwing a piece of balled up paper with a message on it at his head (something Gavin developed _within hours_ of meeting him, and something that made Michael grown infinitely more attached to the little ball of silence that was Gavin Free) or by gesticulating wildly in his peripheral vision until he noticed him.   
  
He became far more attuned to the second option very quickly so as to avoid the pain of getting smacked in the eyeball with a ball of paper again. _Fuck,_ that hurt.   
  
But Michael began to notice that Gavin would get his attention in other ways. It began as a touch on the knee in bio, then in math. Next, the following week, it was a hand wrapped around his forearm. Then around his wrist, almost possessively. Whenever Gavin touched him in a way that his friends never had. Michael's mind would flick back to the words that the teacher said to him the first day he met Gavin, over three months ago, _'You're possibly the first friend he's had.'_  
  
And he wondered.   
  
"Gavvers?"  
  
They were sat in the library, back to back, each with their noses buried in their literature texts. He didn't understand a fucking word of it, but Gavin kept jumping with little buzzes of excitement. Gavin tilted his head back into Michael's to show he was listening.  
  
"Do you have any other friends?"  
  
Gavin didn't reply for a moment, then he gestured with one hand towards where Geoff and Ray were sat on the other end of the row of books, Ray curled up in a bizarre kind of hug with Joel. Michael snorted.   
  
"That's not what I mean, you dumbass. I mean, outside of me. Before the whole muteness shit."  
  
Silence from Gavin's end, obviously, but he pulled out his phone and flicked through the image files until he reached an image of a young kid who was clearly him and another boy with short black hair. They were sat in a field with tall grass, arms clutched around each other as Gavin held the phone out to take the picture. Both of them had wide, goofy grins on their faces.  
  
"Who is it?" Gavin clicked his phone off in response, leaning down to scribble on his paper.   
  
 ** _Dan._**    
  
"Dan, huh? Friend from across the pond?"  
  
Gavin nodded, lips tightening, and wrote slowly.  
  
 ** _He died in the fire. I invited him round, and I shouldn't have._**  
  
"Oh, Gav. I'm sorry," his hand gripped Gavin's shoulder, filling with concern for his friend, "It's not your fault, you know that, don't you? What was he like?"  
  
Gavin bit his lip thoughtfully, and he settled on an expression of soft nostalgia, which Michael took to mean _I really liked him. I miss him._  
  
"You sure do miss him, huh?" the answering short jerk of his head was a good enough answer as any. _Shut the fuck up about him_ , "Sorry, Gavvers."  
  
Another shrug.  
  
"Gavin?" Michael and Gavin turned at the same time to see Ryan stood over them. Gavin's hand immediately curled around Michael's wrist defensively - he acted like a fucking child whenever a new person was within five feet of him. It was kinda sweet.   
  
"Whaddya want, Ryan?" Ryan was by far the weirdest kid that Michael had ever met, including Gavin. He didn't really act like he was friends with the rest of them, Geoff and Ray and the others, but they all had a really strong friendship with him. Somehow.  
  
"I just wanted to know if Gavin could help me with math? He's better at it than anyone I've ever met," Michael couldn't help the sigh of relief that forced its way out of his chest. He wanted something normal!  
  
"That alright with you, boy?"  
  
Gavin perked up like a mutt when Michael used the nickname for him that he'd been dropping into the conversation lately. He thought it was oddly fitting. Gavin nodded and smiled in response, holding out his hand as in invitation to Ryan to hoist him off the ground.   
  
The two of them wandered away from Michael, barely a glance back, "Oh, I'll just sit here by myself then, asshole!" he called after Gavin.  
  
The Brit just grinned over his shoulder at him, and threw a piece of balled up paper his way. Michael flinched automatically as the little cannonball came flying towards his face, then picked it up and unrolled it.  
 **** _  
You're my boy, Michael. You're my boy._

****

~*~*~*~  
  
"Really? You have the weirdest fucking movie tastes I've ever seen in my life."  
  
 ** _I like romantic movies!_**  
  
"You're a fucking loser, jeez."  
  
Gavin poked out his tongue, laughter sparkling in his eyes. They were sat on the couch in Gavin's house, after an awkward meeting with his dad, who made him swear on his fucking life that he would be calm with Gavin. Michael assured him that he'd been friends with him since he started school, and that he was absolutely cool with the mute boy.  
  
After dragging Michael up to his horrendously tidy bedroom, which was splashed with shades of green and gray, with little Minecraft decals all over the walls (a Minecraft fan. Huh, he never knew that) Gavin forced him to sit on a plushy love seat and threw a few - still green - pillows at his face, and two blankets. Michael had raised an eyebrow, because shit they weren't having a sleepover, but tucked himself under the blanket anyway.  
  
Gavin tapped his foot to the beat of some videogame soundtrack that he recognised but couldn't identify (a small part of him wondered exactly how Gavin had ever heard that beat, as it sounded relatively modern) while he examined the movies stacked up on a bookcase, finger trailing over the titles. He settled on a movie with a red border, white text emblazoned on it, and pulled it from the shelf.   
  
He slotted the disc into the player, grabbing the remote from where it was, and bounded over to the couch. Michael held up the spare blanket for him, but Gavin slid under his blanket with a goofy smile. It was kinda chilly, so he let him.  
  
Only 'cause he was cold.   
  
The movie began with a jingle of a cheesy Christmas carol and a splash of red and white colors, and Michael fucking groaned.  
  
"Romantic movies. Jesus."  
  
 **** _Shut up, you minge._  
  
"God, you shut up!" Gavin laughed silently at his reply.   
  
Shortly after, the movie began and Michael fell silent to match his friend. Gavin ended up curled against his side as the movie progressed, an arm tucked behind his back and another draped over his lap. Michael was fucking boiling under the blanket, the warmth of Gavin not helping at all.   
  
The movie reached a particularly sappy point and Gavin began to sniffle. Was he crying? "Are you crying?" Gavin shook his head violently. Lying _fucker_. Michael tucked his arm around Gavin's shoulder, pulling him closer to him, ignoring the little sniffle that the Brit made when he did.   
  
Gavin was extra touchy-feely when it was just the two of them, choosing to keep his hand on Michael's body somewhere at all times. At first, he thought it was fucking creepy. Now, it just made him feel all fuzzy.   
  
As the movie drew to a close - Michael hadn't been paying particular attention to it, choosing to listen to the careful breathing of Gavin, the soft sniffing noise he made as a particularly emotional scene flashed across the TV. But he noticed, as he made to move and switch off the TV, that Gavin's breathing had become slow and even, his eyes closed.   
  
Michael stared at him, "Motherfucker fell asleep on me," he murmured quietly, gazing at the way Gavin's eyes moved beneath his eyelids, darting back and forth.   
  
And what else could he do but stay there as Gavin slept, slowly drifting off into a doze of his own.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"It's Christmas!" Michael announced as he clambered through Gavin's window at five AM.  
  
He and Gavin had reached an understanding that they could visit eachother via their windows whenever they wanted, so long as they didn't tell anyone. That wasn't really an issue to Michael, considering he'd been climbing into Geoff's window since they were ten years old. And it meant he could see Gavin whenever he wanted.   
  
So, here he was. Christmas morning. Five AM. He was shivering from how cold it was outside, the green beanie on his head doing jack shit to keep his head warm. In his hand, he held the most carefully selected present he'd ever bought. He shook his head fondly as Gavin didn't even stir at his intrusion, placed the present on Gav's desk, and leapt onto him.  
  
The little _oof_ of air that Gavin released as he was punched into awakening made Michael erupt into laughter, tickling the Brit's sides through the thin duvet covering him. Little gasps of air burst from Gavin's mouth, silent laughter shaking his chest. Michael finally relented when Gavin's face went bright red, electing to slide under the duvet with him.   
  
Gavin grinned through the darkness, eyes sparkling.  
  
"You alright, boy?" a vigorous nod answered him.   
  
"Sweet! Right, I'm a fucking asshole and I ignored the no presents rule. I got you a little somethin'."   
  
Gavin shuffled upwards into a sitting position and held out his hands expectantly, "You greedy little shit," his friend shrugged, closing his eyes to reiterate his point. Michael cackled, and handed Gavin the small box wrapped in green and red Christmas paper.   
  
"I just figured," Michael began as Gavin tore at the paper, "'Cause you're the creeper in Minecraft and you like green and stuff, and y'know, I'm a fucking dork too," Gavin paused to raise an eyebrow, "Okay, shut up. But, I got us a little matching pendant set."  
  
Gavin held up the two silver chains with the green and turquoise pendants on the end of them, a childlike grin curving his lips as he peered at them in the darkness, "I keep the diamond, you get the creeper. We can be like, team nice dynamite."  
  
Another grin answered him, then he was tackled with a forceful hug that made his stomach do all kinds of funny things, the pendant slipped carefully around his neck by Gavin. His friend released him quickly, and Michael brushed off the pinkness tingeing his cheeks as exertion, watching as he reached for the pad of paper beside his bed and wrote something down.  
  
 **** _You and me, Michael. Team nice dynamite_.  
  
"Team nice dynamite," Michael confirmed, then he grinned wickedly, "Now where's my present?"  
  
Gavin blanched, and Michael laughed. 


	3. New year's sleepover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Michael organizes a New Year's sleepover with Gavin and Ray. There is eating of cake and kissing of friends.

<< Gavin Free 13:22  
 _Sleepover. My house. Tonight. You me and Ray._  
  
>> Gavin Free 13:23  
 _top!!_  
  
"Team nice dynamite? _Really?_ "  
  
"Fuck, it's not that shocking, Ray. He's the creeper, and I'm-"  
  
"The diamond, yeah. I heard ya, gem boy."  
  
Gavin was watching Michael and Ray's exchange with a curious expression on his face, something like fascination, "The fuck you staring at, boy?"  
  
He shrugged.  
  
"Anyway..." Ray raised both his eyebrows, puckering his lips and swallowing, "I have planned out a splendid New Year's night of severely underage drinking - well, for you two - horror movies and truth or dare games."  
  
"Truth or dare? We're not kids!" Gavin tapped the back of Michael's hand, "Gavin agrees!"  
  
"You got that from a _poke_?"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Anyway," Ray continued, pulling two green bottles from the backpack he'd brought with him, holding them out to Michael and Gavin with a cheeky grin on his face, "There's four more where they came from."  
  
Gavin's face struck up a particular curious expression, Michael translated for him, "Gavin wants to know why you're not drinking," the Brit nodded in confirmation. He was fucking awesome at deciphering Gavin's little facial quirks and head tilts now, and his friend barely had to use the pad of paper he'd come to rely on anymore.   
  
"I dunno. Not really my thing," Ray shrugged forlornly, "I mean, that's why my dad left. Mom was an alcoholic and all that shit. I didn't wanna go down the same road, y'know?"  
  
Michael and Gav shook it off, choosing instead to crack open the beers. Gavin's - predictably - ended up half on the floor within three seconds of it being open, Ray's exclamation of _Hey!_ lost in the sound of Michael's laughing. Gavin blushed and picked up what remained of his bottle of beer, taking a swig.   
  
He couldn't help but notice how relaxed Gav seemed with a bottle in his hand, but brushed it off. Taking a deep swallow of his own beer, the unfamiliar taste burning at the back of his throat, he watched Ray's eyes glisten.  
  
"You getting off on watching me, Ray?"  
  
"Go fuck yourself."  
  
Within two hours of the first beer, Gavin and Michael were a little bit drunk. They both had shitty alcohol tolerances, and Michael felt like his world was in Minecraft sprint mode after his third. Gavin fell much sooner, collapsing into his usual silent giggles at anything even remotely funny when he was halfway through his second.  
  
Ray then thought it would be a fabulous idea to put on a horror movie, resulting in a blond British boy's face going red with silent screams and that same British boy curled up in Michael's lap with his face buried in his shoulder, shaking with fear. Michael let it slide, 'cause he knew how much of a pussy Gav was, and he didn't really mind. He was comfortable.  
  
The film ended, Gavin crawled out from his ball of quaking terror, reaching for his pad of paper.  
  
 ** _I hate you. That was bloody terrifying!_**  
  
"You pussy!" Ray and Michael cried simultaneously, both laughing at the hurt expression on their friend's face.   
  
 ** _Oh, bugger off. Fancy a game of truth or dare?  
_**  
"Bring it on, you fuckers," Michael challenged, grinning widely.  
  
He was then, of fucking course, made to do the first dare. It was a silent understanding that the 'truth' part of the game was to be completely ignored except in special circumstances. Ray challenged him to a dare first, which was simply to lick the corner where the carpet met the wall. It tasted vaguely like old pizza and feet, but the disgusted expression on Gavin's face made it worth it.   
  
Next, Gavin challenged Ray.  
  
 ** _I dare you..._**  
  
Gavin paused, tapping his pen against his chin thoughtfully, gazing around the room with slightly glazed eyes.   
  
 ** _... to go downstairs and nick a bottle of beer!_**  
  
Ray shrugged, "Man, I've done that before. How do you think I got these beers?" he executed the dare perfectly, slipping out of the door and padding quietly down the stairs, returning shortly after with a green bottle clutched in his hand. Michael was grateful for Gavin's parents' ability to sleep soundly, even as New Year's fireworks were blasting in the distance.   
  
"Gavin, truth or dare?" Michael asked.  
  
Gavin scrunched his face up mockingly in response, and scribbled on his paper.   
  
 ** _Truth._**  
  
"Ah, you loser! Okay, hmm... truth... would you ever eat-" Michael recalled a conversation he and Gavin had had over text a few weeks earlier, "-wet bread?"   
  
Gavin's only response was to gag, clutching at his stomach, shaking his head furiously. Michael laughed loudly, prodding his friend in the side, laughing harder still when Ray just stared at Gavin with a confused expression on his face.   
  
"Alright diamond boy," Ray said when they'd stopped laughing, "Truth or dare?"  
  
"Dare, duh."  
  
"Risky game you're playing there, son!"   
  
"That's the idea, you fucking _moron_."  
  
Ray looked at him thoughtfully for a few moments, stroking his chin for dramatic effect, eyes narrowed, "I dare you to... drink hot sauce! An _entire_ spoonful."  
  
Michael groaned, but sent Gavin to fetch a bottle of hot sauce from his kitchen anyway. He held the dripping spoon over his cupped hand, swallowed hard, and downed the entire spoonful in one. The slight squeak of pain he let escape his mouth didn't reflect the holyfuckingshitthatshot fire that was burning his tongue from the second it touched his mouth to the very last drop of beer he washed it down with.   
  
Ray had been snorting with laughter the whole time, Gavin quaking with silent laughter of his own, and Michael couldn't help but join in when the heat in his mouth had finally relented.   
  
Gavin shook his head despairingly at the cackling boys, then tugged the pad towards him and began to write. It was his turn to dare Ray.   
  
 ** _I dare you, Ray, to go to the nearest shop and buy a cake. Then eat it._**  
  
"Fuck, man, it's nearly midnight. On New Year's! All the shops are probably closed," Ray seemed to be fishing for excuses; everyone knew how much the guy hated cakes, "And it's called a _store_."  
  
 ** _It's a dare!_**  
  
"Ugh, fine!"  
  
The three boys tugged on their jeans over their pyjamas and crept quietly out of Gavin's house, heading towards the corner store on the end of Gavin's street. It was, miraculously, still open, although the cashier gave them a nasty look when they walked in. Ray chose a six pack of vanilla muffins, sighing as he handed over a few dollars for them, and they all ran back, shivering.   
  
"Eat it, Ray!" Michael nudged his friend when they were back in Gav's room, poking him with his finger, "Eat it!"  
  
Ray did.   
  
His face was fucking priceless.   
  
"Well done, X-Ray!" Michael congratulated, slapping his friend on the shoulder. Ray looked for a second like he was about to blow chunks, but he held his own.   
  
"Alright, you son of a bitch," Ray said with a face of mock fury, "My turn to dare your little British asshole," Michael snorted at the terrified expression on Gavin's face, bubbling with glee at the epic dare that Ray would surely throw at the Brit. Gavin didn't look nearly as pleased at the prospect.  
  
"I dare you-" Ray glanced at the clock on the wall for a second, Michael noticing that it was about to strike midnight, "To kiss Michael when the ball drops."  
  
Gavin's jaw fell open.  
  
So did Michael's.  
  
"Aw, dude, that's gross," he complained.   
  
"No homo, Michael. You know that."  
  
Gavin just shrugged, then scribbled on his paper.  
  
 **** _You scared of kissing me, Michael?_  
  
"Hey, hey! Go fuck yourself! MOGAR isn't scared of kissing anybody!" Michael's eyes slid over to the clock, watching as the hand passed closer to 12. In less than a minute, he'd be kissing Gavin. It was just a New Year's kiss, right? Friends did that, sometimes. Just two friends. Doing- _that_.   
  
Then why was he so fucking nervous?  
  
"Your mark is fireworks," Ray said dryly, sitting back against the bed and watching. Gavin moved closer to Michael.  
  
The clock ticked closer to 12.  
  
Gavin's hand touched his cheek softly, accompanied by a gentle nod of his head. It's okay, Michael could see in his eyes and his movements, this is fine.  
  
 _Tick_. Fireworks went off outside the window, both close to where they were and off in the distance, multicolored explosions lighting up the room.   
  
He moved forward, and did the one thing that he thought he'd never do with a blond mute British boy. Their lips met with the backdrop of fireworks, Gavin's hand still on his cheek, and Michael was infinitely aware of how surprisingly normal it felt, and how much his stomach was twisting and turning because he was kissing Gavin.  
  
It was his first kiss, and he assumed it was Gavin's, so when Gavin's mouth opened at the same time his did, lips sliding together with a soft gasp from Michael and a hand instantly attaching itself to Michael's waist from Gavin's end, they simultaneously realised how fucking weird it was.   
  
Ray coughed awkwardly, and they sprang apart. Gavin's face was bright red. Michael could feel heat in his own cheeks.  
  
"So..." Ray raised one eyebrow and flicked his eyes between the two of them, "Team nice dynamite, huh?"  
  
They blushed. 


	4. Might be gay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Michael might be gay - but NOT for Gavin.

"Are you gay?" Ray asked one day in January, when they were all sat in the library again, catching up on studying for exams.  
  
"What?"  
  
"He asked if you were gay," Geoff chimed in, leaning forward into the conversation. Gavin looked up from his book, interest sparking in his eyes. Michael swallowed. Was he?  
  
"I don't think so," he admitted honestly, shrugging his shoulders, "I mean, I know I like tits. But I dunno. I've never really been with a guy, or a girl."  
  
"Huh. That was honest," Ray's face was disappointed. What the fuck was he expecting? He shot a side glance at Gavin, who had a bizarre expression on his face. He brushed it off.  
  
"What about you, X-Ray?" Michael shot the question back, kicking his feet up to rest them on the edge of Gavin's chair, "Are you?"  
  
Ray shrugged, just like Michael had, "I'm pretty sure I'm not. I like tits, man."  
  
"Geoff?"  
  
"Fuck, man, nah," Geoff barked out a laugh, "You know I've got the hots for that Griffon chick. I don't have time to be going around, sucking dicks and taking it up the ass."  
  
Michael laughed, then turned to the Brit, "What about you, Gavvers?"  
  
Gavin blushed, and scribbled on his pad.  
  
 ** _Yep._**  
  
"You're gay?" the three men said simultaneously, staring at the mute boy with matching shocked expressions.  
  
"Like, really gay?" Geoff asked, receiving a silent laugh and a nod as a response, "Wow. How d'you know?"  
  
 ** _Fancied a guy once._**  
  
"Oh, who-"  
  
"Dan!" Michael interrupted Geoff, thoughts clicking together in his head, "You had the hots for Dan?" Gavin's lips tightened, and _shit,_ Michael remembered what had happened to Dan. Oh fuck, now he felt like an asshole. But Gavin nodded.   
  
Michael felt really fucking weird after Gavin admitted that. Part of him was feeling like a complete douche for bringing Dan up, but another part of him was remembering New Year's, and the kiss they shared, and that way that Gavin had reacted with a defensive hold when the kiss had gone further. Holy shit, Gavin had really liked Dan, and Michael had gone and kissed him and brought everything back. He didn't have ‘the hots’ for him at all.   
  
"You loved him, didn't you?" Michael said quietly, turning to look at his Brit. _His_ Brit? When did he become that? "You loved Dan."  
  
Gavin's eyes were tinged red around the edges now, lips quivering. Michael ignored the protesting from his other two friends, hoisted Gavin up from his seat and pulled him away by his wrist. He took him to a secluded section of the library, and sat him down in the corner, crouching next to him.   
  
"Gavin, I'm so sorry," Gavin just stared at him, eyes wide and slightly frightened. Michael locked his fingers together with Gavin's, a simple gesture of safety, "I'm sorry for bringing him up, I'm sorry for New Year's. I'm so sorry."  
  
Wild eyes stared back at him, then Gavin dropped his hand and pulled a small pad and pen out of his pocket and scribbled on them. His writing was shakier and untidier than usual.   
  
 ** _Michael, it's not your fault._**  
  
"I shouldn't've mentioned him, it's my fault for-" Michael was interrupted when Gavin leaned forward and pressed their lips together softly. His first instinct was to push his friend away, but he was overcome by the feel of Gavin's gently firm hand on the back of his neck, the dampness on Gavin's cheeks, Gavin's huge nose pressing into the side of his.  
  
Michael melted into it, because when friends were sad, that's what you did. You did whatever made them feel better, even it was fucking weird to you. Gavin's free hand bunched in his shirt, pulled them closer together, and Michael's stomach did all kinds of weird things. Michael opened his mouth before Gavin did, and then it was all wet heat and salty tears. He let his own hands hook through the loops in Gavin's belt, pulling him up from his sitting position onto his knees as their breaths mingled.   
  
"Gav," Michael gasped when the Brit finally pulled away, "What was... Gavin?"  
  
His friend was crying, streaks of tears falling down his face, lips shaking, "Gavin-" but he was too late, his friend clambered clumsily to his feet and sprinting away from him. Michael scrambled after him, but he was nowhere to be seen. His eyes were stinging and his chest felt like it was being stabbed.   
  
When he went back to Ray and Geoff, they didn't say a word.   
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Gavin had vanished off the face of the fucking earth.  
  
He wasn't at school for a week, nowhere to be found, and when Michael's worry got the better of him and he went to Gavin's house, his mom said he wasn't there. The lie was visible on her tightly drawn face, and Michael felt fear bubble inside him.  
  
He'd _really_ fucked up.  
  
Ray had kept quiet about Gavin for the first few days, not mentioning it when the Brit's name was read out by teachers, to be met by silence and the stiffening of Michael's back. But, as the second Monday without Gavin in their lives broke, Ray spoke.   
  
"So. Where's Gavin?"  
  
"Shut the fuck up about Gavin, Ray! He's just away somewhere, you know what he's like!" Michael snapped, staring at his friend vehemently. He wasn't angry at Ray, really, he was annoyed with Gavin.  
  
"I don't know what he's like, Michael. _You_ do."  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
Ray was silent for the days following that, still no sign of Gavin, until Wednesday broke and Geoff decided to speak up.  
  
"Michael? Are you alright?"  
  
"Jesus, I'm fucking _fine_! Why do you assholes keep asking me that?!" Michael near-yelled in the library, stopping when his eyes watered dangerously.  
  
"I'm just looking out for you, bud!" Geoff protested, "Gavin's been gone for a while and-"  
  
"Why does everything have to be about that stupid prick? The world doesn't revolve around _Gavin fucking Free_!" Michael felt fury bubble up inside him, really yelling at his friend, "Just for once this week, I'd like to be left alone without you assholes asking me if I fucking miss Gavin, alright?!"  
  
"Alright," Geoff held up his hands in surrender, "Alright. Just go and see him, after school. Alright?"  
  
"You don't think I've tried?!" Michael felt tears drip down his cheek and he wiped it with the back of his hand quickly, "I've tried, and he won't _fucking_ speak to me!"  
  
The two others fell silent, turning back to their books as Michael tried to catch his breath back. The day passed in a blur of barely passed tests, sighs, and complete silence from his friends. By the time the bell rang at the end of the day, Michael's mind was a mess. He hardly slept that night, tossing and turning, waking up every hour with a thumping heart and tears on his cheeks. It wasn't clear to him why, but it hurt.  
  
<< Gavin Free 12:37  
 _Gav, answer. I'm sorry._  
  
<< Gavin Free 17:54  
 _I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry_  
  
<< Gavin Free 23:02  
 _How can I fix this?_  
  
Next morning, his mind was set. He bunked off school, leaving his backpack in a bush outside his house, and headed over towards Gavin's house. The diamond pendant around his neck felt like a burning reminder of what he'd fucked up, nervous sighs escaping his lips as he finally arrived at the Brit's house.  
  
The door looked even scarier now, and when he knocked on it three times his heart pounded like a drum.   
  
With a slight creak, the door opened, the surprised face of Gavin appearing in the gap. Michael reacted on instinct, ignoring the little flips his heart did when he saw that stupid face for the first time in nearly two weeks, and stuck his foot in the gap between door and frame.  
  
He forced his way into the house, pushing his friend against the wall with a firm hand on his shoulder. His face was clearly readable, a panicked _Michael! What are you doing?!_  
  
"Gavin, Gavin, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for that and I'm sorry for fucking up," he started, forcing the Brit to look him in his eyes, "But you have been a complete fucking asshole. What the hell gave you the right to just jump ship and avoid me for two weeks? What the _fuck_ gave you the right?! I didn't do jack shit to you, you just freaked out about something, and I know how angry you are about Dan because I know you feel guilty about him, but I care about you, Gavin! I worry about you, you stupid British prick, and if you piss off and hide in your room for two weeks then you're not doing good for yourself or for me!"  
  
Gavin's eyes were wide, lower lip trembling, and only then did Michael feel the terrified thumping of his friend's heart beneath his chest, and only then did Michael step back. Without his support, Gavin sank down to the floor.   
  
His lips formed around soundless words, hand grasping at the air. Michael fetched him a pad and pen, sitting down against the wall opposite him as he wrote. He scribbled on the paper for a few moments, then handed it to Michael with a slightly terrified expression on his face.   
  
 ** _I'm sorry. When I kissed you in the library, I thought I made a total arse of myself. I was scared, and sad, and I'm sorry._**    
  
"Gavin," Michael began, seeing the sincere expression on his friend's face, "It's okay-" Gavin's index finger pressed over his lips, silencing him.   
 **** __  
I was a knob, and I'm sorry.  
  
"Jesus, Gavin," he mumbled through the small gap between his lips, "Stop apologising. So what if you kissed me?" the finger left his lips, "Thanks- Gavin, I kissed you first. Technically. New Year's."  
  
Gavin nodded slowly.  
  
"Call it even?"  
  
He nodded again, then tugged the paper towards him, but Michael took the pad and pen away from him.  
  
"Stop- stop fucking panicking, and relax."  
  
Michael didn't know what made him to do such a stupid thing, but he leant forward and gently kissed Gavin on the lips. Nothing serious, just a soft reminder that it was okay, that he was okay, that they were okay. And then he did another fucking stupid thing.  
  
"Wanna go to prom with me?"


	5. Prom night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is a prom, and Michael realises something very important.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is missing a section, so final two chapters will be posted soon, but not at the moment. Sorry! I promise it's worth the wait.

"Michael, jesus christ, you look _fine_."  
  
"God, Geoff, I'm so fucking nervous."  
  
"Why?! You're going to prom with Gavin, not the fucking queen."  
  
"But it's Gavin, and that's why I'm nervous!"  
  
Michael was tugging at the blue and grey striped tie around his neck, heat rising under his collar as the clock ticked closer and closer to seven. He was dressed in his only suit, a deep midnight blue three piece, accompanied by a powder blue shirt and diamond cuff links. His pendant was tucked beneath his collar, sitting snugly on his sternum. For once in his life, he'd tried to control his hair, dragging a brush through the mass of curls on his head.   
  
Prom. Whoop-de- _fucking_ -do.  
  
Gavin was his date - and god, did that sound weird - due to arrive at seven PM. And if Michael knew the Brit, and _boy_ did he, he would arrive bang on time.  
  
Five minutes. _Shit shit shit._  
  
Geoff was watching him with an expression of disbelief, shaking his head. His friend was dressed in a perfectly tailored black tux - the little bastard hadn't grown in three years - ready to collect his date, the infamous Griffon. He was waiting with Michael until Gavin arrived, however, as he was shitting himself with nerves. Fuck knows why.   
  
 _Knock knock knock._  
  
"Fuuuuck!" Michael strung out his curse as he ran to answer the door, ignoring the stale laugh of Geoff behind him.  
  
He swung open the door and- _oh._  
  
Gavin was stood on the doorstep, dirty blond hair freshly trimmed and somewhat controlled, stubble shaved and a wide grin on his face. His eyes were shining. Michael let his gaze wander down the Brit's body - his date's body - taking in the snug dark gray two piece suit that clung to his slender frame, white cuffs peeking out from the sleeves, a thin black tie adorning his chest. The black dress shoes on his feet gleamed, and the straight leg pants only served to compliment his friend's outfit more.   
  
He realised that he'd been staring.  
  
"Ah, sorry-" Gavin's face was pink, lips pressed together, "I just... Gav, you look amazing."  
  
Michael leant forward on impulse and kissed his friend lightly on the cheek, then held out his arm. Gavin stared at him, disgruntled, "What? You honestly thought I'd be the chick? Please."  
  
Gavin rolled his eyes, but hooked his arm through Michael's anyway. It felt right, almost comfortable, as the two of them sauntered towards the cab that was waiting for them. He, as the fucking classy gentleman he was, held open the door for Gavin. The Brit blushed and bit his lip. It was fucking adorable.   
  
The ride was short, Gavin's nerves getting the better of him, small jerks of movement bursting from him every second until Michael clasped their hands together, "Dude, stop panicking. It's just a dance."  
  
Gavin's free hand produced a tiny pad of paper that he hadn't noticed, and wrote.  
 **** _  
But it's a dance with you. That's why I'm nervous._    
  
He pretended that his heart didn't flutter happily at that, just smiling and shaking his head at his friend. Upon entering the venue for prom, an old rundown office building turned ballroom in the middle of fucking nowhere, the two of them were asked to pose for a picture. Michael thought Fuck it and pressed a soft kiss to Gavin's cheek as the pose.  
  
The Polaroid image (the school was really going all out, jeez) was developed and handed to them, and Michael laughed at it. Michael's foot had lifted subconsciously off the floor as his arms wrapped around Gavin's waist, Gavin's face pleasantly surprised, pink tingeing his cheeks.  
  
"You're a fucking dork," for once, Gavin nodded in agreement.  
  
Michael hadn't _exactly_ come to the prom with a plan to dance, but when shitty songs from the 90s started to play, he found himself dragging Gavin onto the dance floor by his hand, grinning at him. The thumping sound of loud music made it nearly impossible to hear one another, but he figured it wouldn't exactly be a problem for them.   
  
"Gavin, you've gotta get your groove on!" Michael yelled, shaking his hips to reiterate his point, "Shake that fine ass of yours!"  
  
The Brit laughed silently, humour glistening in his eyes, wiggling his hips once. Michael shook his head, moving closer to him and placing his hands on his waist. He pulled them flush together, "Like this!" and rolled his hips in a few quick fluid motions, moving his hands simultaneously so that Gavin's body moved in sync with him. Gavin's hand flew up over his eyes, laughter curving his lips.  
  
"Don't be a fucking spoilsport, Vav!" Michael yelled over the music, continuing to rotate his hips in time with the music. He stopped when Gavin's face went red from laughing silently, choosing instead to engage his friend in a round of random dancing.   
  
Gavin was flung out on an arm, spinning around almost gracefully, but nearly tripping over his own feet, coming back to rest in Michael's arms. They began a dance of sorts, laughing - or silently laughing - as they performed a waltz, exaggerating the particularly cheesy parts. He took his friend on a wide dance around the dancefloor, an arm on his shoulder and his hip, trying and failing miserably to keep their steps in time. A few onlookers laughed at their attempts, including Griffon.  
  
One second, they were waltzing, and the next they were on the floor, wheezing and panting, Gavin's apologetic face displayed proudly.  
  
"Did you trip over your fucking feet?!"  
  
Gavin shrugged and Michael burst into laughter.  
  
They lay there for a few moments, laughing with joined hands, staring up at the lights on the ceiling, until a fast paced song began to play and people started to step all over them. Michael dragged the mute boy up by his hand, pulling him over to the wall where Ray was sat around a small silver table, twirling a rose between his fingers.  
  
They sat, "Ray, where's Courtney?"  
  
Ray sighed, "Turns out she's not as great as I thought she was. I'm pretty sure that, right at this second, she's in a back room somewhere, fucking Burnie."  
  
"Aw, Ray."  
  
Their friend shrugged, letting out a bark of laughter, "I don't really care. I had a far better time watching you two morons flail around on the dancefloor together than I did watching Courtney flirt with other guys."  
  
"Did we look good?" Michael asked jokingly, slinging an arm around the Brit's shoulder.  
  
"Fucking slick, man. Rumour has it that you are in possession of a Polaroid of you smooching Gavino over here?"  
  
Gavin's spluttered and blushed, but Michael pulled it from his breast pocket and handed it to Ray, who snorted when he saw it, "Jesus, you look like a couple," Michael snuck a sideways glance at Gavin, who was looking at him curiously. He couldn't help but feel a shiver of warmth at them being called a couple. He was being really gay this evening, jeez.  
  
"So-" Ray began after a moment of silence, "Are you guys dancing the waltz?"  
  
"We've already done that!"   
  
"No, you ass, the actual waltz. The slow shit that makes girls go all hungry for your dick and that."  
  
Michael faltered. Did he want to dance the waltz with Gavin? Really? "Yeah, I think we are," that settled it then. Fucking preemptive speaking.   
  
Gavin nodded vigorously in agreement.  
  
That _definitely_ settled it.  
  
The next couple of hours sped by, fuelled by Gavin's attempts to balance a shot glass on his nose and Ray's encouragement for the two of them to drink, drink, drink. No complaints from his end. By the time midnight rolled around, and one of the final songs began to play, not the waltz, just a quiet and beautifully rhythmic Elvis song, Michael was feeling fuzzy around the edges.   
  
 _Wise men say only fools rush in,  
But I can't help falling in love with you._  
  
He pulled the Brit up out of his seat, dragging him onto the dancefloor. Hooking his arms around his waist, he pressed their foreheads together, whispered, "Team nice dynamite," and began to sway. Michael felt like his head was going to burst as he stared at the ecstatic expression on his friend's face.   
  
 _Shall I stay,  
Would it be a sin,   
If I can't help falling in love with you.  
  
Like a river flows surely to the sea,  
Darling so it goes,  
Some things are meant to be._  
  
The song picked up a metallic edge, and Michael tightened his grip around Gavin, hooking his fingers through the loops in the back of his suit pants with a smile. Gavin gazed goofily back at him, soft breaths puffing onto his lips. His eyes, sparkling green and staring at Michael with complete adoration and trust in them. Michael realised then, in the split second between friends dancing and two people sharing a moment, that he loved Gavin Free.  
  
Realised that the soft flips his stomach did when he was in the company of the Brit weren't the result of nervousness at all. It was love. Everything, every tiny little thing over the time he'd known him, had been something that ran deeper than friendship and had built something inside if his heart that he hadn't recognised. It was _love_.   
  
 _Take my hand,  
Take my whole life too.  
  
For I can't help falling in love with you._  
  
Michael's heart was thudding in rhythm with the beats of the music, his whole world bursting into an explosion of colors and Gavin and what was undeniably a heavy dose of love for the mute British boy. He loved him.   
  
"I'm in love with you," Gavin's answering expression was damn near euphoric.  
  
 _For I can't help falling in love with you._    
  
Michael leaned towards his friend and pressed their lips together. The song drew to an almost angelic close, Gavin's hands leaving their position on Michael's shoulders to cup Michael's jaw, their mouths sliding together in a kiss that, at long last, was exactly what they wanted. What they needed. He pushed their bodies together, pressing himself against the warmth that was Gavin, that was _his boy_.  
  
And, as the clock struck midnight, as Michael finally accepted that he might just have been hopelessly in love with his best friend for the past ten months of his life, the people around them applauded, and Michael felt free. 


End file.
